Aeroplane.



H. W. MACOMBER 61 F. H. D. BERGMANN.

AEBOPLANE. APPLICATION 11,111) APR. 1, 1911. 7

1,076,218.. I P tented 001121, 1913.

6 SHEETS-8HEBT 1.-

H. W. MAOOMBER & F. H. D. BERGMANN.

AEROPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.1,1911, 1.07621 8. Patented 001121, 1913.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 2. j

.! A4 Wad H. W. MACOMBER & P. H. D. BERGMANN. AEROPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED 11.1, 1911.

1 076 218. v Patented 0011.21, 1913 a sums-SHEET H. W. MACOMBER & P. H. D. BERGMANN.

AEROPLANE.

APPLIGATION FILED APR.1,1911.

Patented Oct. 21, 1913.

H. W. MAGOMBER & F. H. D. BERGMANN.

AEROPLANB.

APPLICATION FILED APBJ, 1911. 1,076,218. Patented 0013.21, 1913.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

IIH

h w I 1&0 Q m UNITE STATES HABEY W. HACOMBER .ANE'TREDEBIGH H- D; BEBQ'HENN, OF $45.. LDUIS; MEfiSOURL imsorms.

Sonia-saw): of Letters Patcne.

time flkfipffl 1, 29H. SriPRo. 618,325.

Patented Oct.21, 1913.

Um of the Objects of the present. inven "rion to provide an improved (listri'bution of the sustaining. surface or surfaces, and an im'iroved cooperative relation between iho oiiierent portions of the sustaining surface or surfaces.

One of the objects of the present inven- Lion is to provicle improved means for modifying the inter-a1 movement of an. aeroplane whereoy 1%, may be turned new side to side or by means of which it may be caused to iilifl laisrnlly during its forward movement, thereby hrongh a. succession of turns to prevent running inio anything in its path.

A fiiriiier ob' ect is to provide improved means for lifting the aeroplane or causing it to descend. said means being adapted to.

maintain a supporting column of air from below in whatever position the aeropisne as While ascending or descending in a I .iv course or while turning from slide iosiile (hiring its ascent or descent.

Another object is to provide improved means for shi'iiing the power plani or engine:

wiiersh {he center of grsvi'i' may bemovcd to aciiiinic the rise of th s me.-

me info Lina air and. removed to a central nos L on under L sftcr the machine in 'Euii imht.

' her ohieui is to proviiie iinprowri H Um innzl Wiififiifi, and an suginori. for that portion Whioh the motor apps-sis in 1;; nannies obviating; the necessity of going.

sining plane foresee had to 'ths accompanying drawings exemplifying the invention and in which,

Figure 1 is a top plan View of an aeroplane constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention. Fig. 2 is a front elevationof the same. Fig. 3 is a rear end elevationof the same. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 5 is a section on the line V-V Fig. 1. Fig.6 is a section on. the line V'L-i I, so. i. the line VIL flI. Fig. 4. Fig. 8 is a section on the line VIH- VHI, Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is an enlarged. detail section on the line IX--IX, 1 1g. 5. Fig. 10 is a fragmentary top plan View of one of the elevators. Fig. 11 is a dingrznninetic top plane view or. the aeroplane in motion showing the actions of the air currents. Fig. 12 is a similar clinrammacic View in side elevation. Fig. 13 1s a diagrannnatic end view showing the actions of the air currents during a verticul descent.

Referring more particularly to the drawings and to the embodiment shown therein. the top plane proper is constructed in two portions, each of which comprises a plurality of sections 1, which secriens are bowed transversely of. the machine and lIlCliIlfiCi respectively downwardly and rearwanily. Each of said sections, as shown best in Figs. 5 and 9, is preferably arranged with their forward edges at substantially the some elevation their rear edges being depressed and spaced from the forward. edges of the respective sections immediately behind them. Said sections are. furiherinore, as shown most clearly .in Fig. l, narroWeCi rearwsrdiy so than the o mositelv dis )osei nortions of the 2h no n of the top shine is provided. a an n pole or boom 2 and s.- psir of bars which converge renrwnrdiy and are inoiineci downwardly, suiii ridge beam 2 Fig. 7 is a section on and side bars 3 being rigidly connected by a plurality of bowed cross members or bars 4 which are set in the upper edge of the ridge beam 2 and are rigidly connected at their outer ends with the side bars 3 in any suitable manner. Immediately below the cross bars 4 are other cross bars 5 which are secured to the lower edge of the ridge beam and to said side bars 3. The sections of the top plane portions are provided in the present embodiment by securing a number of sheets of any suitable flexible material at their forward edges to bowed cross members 4 and at their rearedges to cross members 5, thus providing intake openings between adjacent plane sections for admitting air below each section during the forward. movement of the aeroplane. As shown in Fig. 4, each portion of a top plane is trusscd by having a plurality of brackets 6 disposed along the upper edge of the beam 2 for carrying a tension member 7 which is secured fore and aft to the beam 2. Another tension member 8 is similarly mounted on the under edge of the bearfi 2 Rigid] suspended from the top frame just described: by means of a plurality of vertical members'i) is a chassis frame comprising side bars 10 and cross bars 11. As shown best in Figs. '7 and 8, an engine 12 is slidably mounted upon side bars '10 by havin its cylinder carried at either end by a ban iron saddle 13, said-saddles being rigidiy secured to the cylinder of said engins. The laterally extending ends 14 of said saddles rest directly upon the side bars 12 and are slidably secured thereto by means of stirrups 15 which pass under the side bars 10 and may be drawn intoclamping engagement therewith by means of the thumb nuts 16 on the upper threaded'ends of said stirrups. The engine is pro ided With a fly wheel 17 on the rear end of the engine shaft 18, said engine shaft being provided with a squared block 19 secured in the end of a rectangular sleeve 20. Slidably mounted within said sleeve 20 is another block 21. rigid with the end of a transmission shaft 22, said transmission shaft being provided with a pair of driven sprockets 23 over which pass, res ectively, sprocket chains 24. At the forwar. end of the aeroplane and below the level of the top planes, a pair of propellers 25 are mounted upon the forward ends of horizontal shafts'26 (see Fig. 6). The axes of the shafts 25 are disposed approximately in the central vertical plane of the top plane portions, said propellers being adapted, as Wlll hereinafter be pointed out, to project a converging column of air under said planes. Each of the shafts 20 has keyed thereto a sprocket 27 to which the chains 24, respectively, deliver power Referring now to Figs. 4 and 6, a center board or keel is provided in the central verthe same direction, not only is the aeroplane caused to shift bodily to one side without turning, but the center board offers only such resistance to lateral currents of air as serves to impart a forward impetus to the machine. In emergencies or whenever for any reason, it is desirable to swing the machine about within a short radius, the vanes 28 may be turned oppositely to the vanes 29 so that the only resistance offered by the centerboard is that which swerves it sharply. It will be noted that each of said vanes is pivoted forward of its longitudinal center so that there will be a normal tendency to hold them in theposition shown in Fig. 6. On either side of the aeroplane at its front end, and disposed below the top planes, are elevator planes 32, said. planesbeing ar' ranged in pairs one above the other on ,each side. A feature of peculiar importance. in connection with these elevator planes 32;, is that they are mounted to swing about an axis oblique to the direction of flight, that is, about an axis inclined to the central vertical longitudinal lane of the machine. In the present embodimentthis purpose is carried out by providing a pivotal connection between the inner l ateral edge of each vane at and an upright rod 34 extending between a horizontal transverse frame member 35 disposed below and in advance of the top plane portions. Approximately diagonally opposite the pivotal connection 33 is a second pivotal ccmiection 36, the swim ing axis being a straight line connecting'tiese two pivotal connections. E ch pair of elevator planes areprcferably connected together to move in unison and each is strengthened by a suitable truss 37. Any suitable cable or cord 38 may be passed over pulleys 39 and thence to any suitable part of the machine to be within reach of the aviator. Adjacent the rear end of the aeroplane and below each plane portion, is an elevator vane 40, each of said vanes being pivotally connected at diagonally opposite corners to portions of the machine frame. These elevator vanes are adapted to be operated similarly to the elevators 32 to raise and lower the back end of the machine.

In order to adapt the aeroplane tb come to earth'aft-er a flight without causing nude invegiie nimble shock and injury to the more heavily loaded part-s of the chassis frame, elongx'bai front liars H are secured to the chassis frame with end-s overhangin en either side. The bars 11 may he made o? spruce or any other suitable material which will make them ilefviole and elastic, the forward land wheels 42 heing juurnaled in "resilient memllevi carried by the bars 11. The outer ends of the resilimit bars 11 are reinforced by resilient supports 43 which are secured at 44 0 the bars 11 and have their Gill/v3? ends slidnlily engaging said bars 11. Struts 45 extend between the members 43 and oblique bars 46, which are also Wferal'ily of reeilient materials, Further resilient support is gained hyproviding the helieul springs 4.7 secured to portions rigid witiithe skid runners presently to be described. Rods A18 conncchbhe springs 47 with he out-er ,ends of bars ll while material support obtained for the chassis and kindred parts from above hy connecting the outer ends of bare ll v. illi the horizonlnl have 35 by'nleans lb. The skid just referred to com prises a pair of runner bars 49 which, as shown Figs. and 4. converge in frmlt and are l'r'mcll npwziriilly (0 right the ma chine when oiri'lzing: at an angle. ln the rear. mid runners err bent upwardly to meet the lm= i-s frame behind the engine. in thi; way, when the YIllKflllBQ drops, the re silicnlly mounted wheels give until the skid strikes the ground to provide a fil'rong upport for taking up the mmwrnlum of the heavier parts on the forward end of the CllflFSlS.

Referring now to Figs. 11 and 12. the action o? the propellers in connection with the Ffl'llflllfi of the lop plane porlione, will be understood. By moving the engine rear Wnrdly, the llTl-Illjl't exerted by lhe lilting; plnncin inr'rc-rinml. A= ilic nnichinc in impvllcd iorvsnrlllv. llic oeclions of llw Top plane porlimw are brought, more and mom' into :u-lion and a the engine i moved fin \vnrdl) lo Hl'll'll the r-cntcr of gravity under the, comer of pressure of the top planes. the air rw lllllff ll lll;l the o 'ienings between dia -on. saw-vim l-nm'cascs the lifting vflect :inzl SllllVSll in Fig. l2, ronies :i gradually deepening bank of air which is euppoited by the wind from the propellers. The result is that. there is a very material compression of the air which greatly increase; the lifting effeci of the ivcropllme sections. To augment the compression cl'lect, the pro pcllers being disponed at the opening ends of the inverted channel; under (he aeroplane sections. by discharging their pyramidal columns oi air, afford a suhnlamisl reinforcement to the air cniering through the spaces between the sections. Furthermore, by reaeon of the peculiar comhined hollows the blade on the propellers, the air 18 l l l l l l l drawn from all sides as well as from in from, as indicated by arrows in Figs. 11 and P2. As indicated in Fig. 13, in the event of the straight descent of the aeroplane, the space between the portions of the top plane, admits of ii. central column of air connection with ihc lateral columns on the outside of the acre plane, thus obviating the disadvantages which would result were the plane an integral one. Moreover, the sectional conetruchion of the aemplane portions, permits of n ready escape of the entrapped air upwarliil'y but at the same time provides sufficient resistance to insure a slow descent in case of emergency. Another very importa'nt'fnnction of the sectional construction of the top plane is that in descending, should the machine become inclined to such an angle as would cause most other machines to plunge downwardly, the openings between the plane sections admit air under the top planes and thereby builds up a support which would otherwise be cut. off by a con tinuene plane.

In operating the plane on a level bcnm. should it be deeired to change its: direction Within a small compass. the lorvard vane 2% Fig. .3) may be inclined in one din!"- iinn to the central verl'lclll longllmllml plane of lhe machine while the rear vnnw 29 may be inclined in the other direction to coi' perate lhcrewitli in imparting u sharp passing upwardly in angular movement to the aeroplane. A later-Al drift is imparted by selling all of lllos e \fillEs in one direction. The elevator planes 32 are in this connection of p culiar importance. since by reason of llicir angular mowm'enl about an axle inclined lo the cenlrnl vertical longziludinul plane of the urnvllinr. their variation from the nornml bovi zonlnl plane can be brouglil about more gradually and with less effort due to film fact lllllt lbc norlion thereof which is furlll( 'l from the r'nvin jing nxi i only :i ro nor while lbe broader portion of lbc pl'lnr lll! would be caught by the wind in alljzr cent. in lbc nvimging.nxh- N) that the move mrnl of llic plane can be better conlrollc-l. Furthermore. in ilie event of beso clevnlor plane-i being used siinnlinneonnly will: :1 change in thc direction horiyonlnlly, their Bll'l'fllfitSlMlfig dieposcll in planes inclined to the above ml'n'en'ienl, cll'wrlunlly provide: against. the air c lumn slipping from under the aeroplane,portions l v reason of the bank of air which is thus maintained. Extending from the connected extremities of the upwardly deflecte runners 49, is a tie rod which is connected to a part, riyizl \vi'l'n che Lop plane by means of a cushioning device ill which is preferably a pneumatic cutdlion.

Wlznt we claim is.

in 2 machine of the character described, an aeroplane comprisinga lurality of overlapping sections with air in ct openings between said sections, said sections being arranged in a series in the line of flight of the machine and with their forward edges in the same horizontal plane, each of said sections having its lateral edges drooped more than the next one in front.

2. In a machine of the character described, a top plane constructed in two laterally divided portions, each portion comprising a plurality of sections inclined rearwardly and downwardly with the forward edge of all but one of the sections disposed above and. spaced from the rear edge of adjacent sections.

3. In a machine of the character de' scribed, an ae oplane constructed in two portions each with converging lateral edges, each portion comprising a plurality of sections inclined rearwardly and downwardly with the forward edges of the respective sections disposed above and spaced from the rear edges of the sections in front, respectively, the under surface of said sections be ing concaved transversely of the machine and increasing in depth from the front to the rear.

4. in a machine of the character scribed, the combination with a ridge beam, of two side bars spaced from and inclined toward said ridge beam reai 'ardly, a plurality of cross bars secureu said side bars and the top edge of said ridge beam, other cross bars secured to the side bars and the bottom edge of said ridge beam beneath the other cross bars, respectively, and a plurality of sheets of flexible material secured along their forward edges to the first said cross bars, respectively, and along their rear edges to said other cross bars,

in a machine of the character def-7 .l'ib01l, a top plane constructed in'laterally separated portions elongated in the direction of flight, said portions being provided with air inlet openings exposed in the direction of flight and arranged in series from front to rear of said aeroplane.

(j. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a top plane constructed in two portions with an air space between them, of a pair of rectangular elevator planes on the outer edge of each portion, ,said elevator planes being pivotally mounted at diagonally opposite corners.

7. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a top plane constructed in'two separate portions concave as seen from below. each of said portions being narrowed from front to rear and of increasing depth toward the rear. and propellers disposed, respectively, below and in front of each of said portions.

8. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a top plane constructed in two separate portions concave as seen from below, each of said portions being narrowed from front to rear and of increasing depth, and propellers disposed, respectively, below and in front of each of said portions, each of said portions being constructed of a plurality of rearwardly and downwardly inclined sections having their forward edges disposed above and spaced from the rear edges of the sections immediately in front.

9. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a top plane constructed in two divided portions each narrowed rearwardly, each of said portions being con.- cave as seen from below and of gradually increasing depth, a propeller at the forward end of each portion, an elevator plane disposed at the forward edge and on the outside of each portion, and an elevator plane disposed below the rear end. of each portion.

10. In a machine of the character de scribed, thecombination with a top plane constructed in two divided portions each narrowed rearwardly, each of said portions being concave as seen from below and of gradually increasing depth, a propeller at the forward end of each portion, an. e e ator plane disposed at the forward edge and on v the outside of each portion, and an elevator plane disposed below the rear end of each portion, each of the elevator planes along the forward edge of the machine being movable about an axis inclined to the central. vertical longitudinal plane of the machine.

11. in a machine of the character de scribed, the combination with. a top plane constructed in two portions narrowed rearwardly to form a wedge-shaped space be tween said portions, of a plurality of guiding vanes movable about axes in a. vertical plane dividing said wedge-shaped space, and a plurality of elevator planes disposed along. the outside edges of said portions on the top plane, said elevator planes being movable about axes inclined to the central longitudinal plane of the machine.

12.. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a top plane elongated in the direction of flight, of a plurality of guiding vanes disposed on vertical axes below the rear end of said top plane,

and other guiding vanes-dispi'ised on vertical axes under the forward end of said top plane, the guiding vanes at the forward end being movable independently and in an. opposite direction to the vanes under the rear of said plane, and ropeller blades disposed on opposite sides oi said guiding vanes.

13. In an aeroplane, a pair of laterally spaced rearwardly contracted top plane portions, each concave as seen from below and increasing in depth toward the rear.-

14. In an aeroplane, a pair of laterally spaced rearwardly contracted top plane portions, each concave as seen from below an increasing in depth toward the rear, and a l to draw in the air radially and to compress propeller 111 front of each top plane portwn. 11; under said sectmns.

15. In an aeroplane, a pair of laterally HARRY lV. MACOMBER. spaced rearwardly contracted top plane p0r- FREDERIGH H. D. BERGMANN, Lions, each concave as soon from below, and I In the presence of J. B. MEGOWN, M l. HA (MON a propeller in front of each of said lop plane l ortlons, said propellers being constructed l 

